Charles a



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(LA. THOMPSON. V STAMP MONEY AND LETTER PAUKET.

310,603,118. Patented Apr. 26, 1898.

UNITED Y STATES nrnr tries.

CHARLES A. THOMPSON, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR TO MILETUS J. W'INE, OF SAME PLACE.

STAMP-MONEY AND LETTER PACKET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 603,1 18, dated April 26, 1898.

Application filed May 13, 1897. Serial No. 636,295. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, CHARLES A. THOMPSON, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at the city of Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented a new and useful Stamp-Money and Letter Packet, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of articles or devices known as stamp-purchasing inclosures, envelops, and letter-packets, and the objects are to provide a simple, inexpensive, and reliable meansfor transmitting money for the payment of postage on letters and other similar mailable articles to the post-otfice through the medium or agency of the established carrier-service of the country and to so arrange and construct the device that letters to be stamped may be placed and held on the packet for mailing.

I accomplish the purposes and objects of the invention by means of the article or device illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof, and wherein Figure 1 is a perspective of the complete packet, showing the lid or cover raised and also showing the recess or case for containing the money for payment of postage or purchase of stamps. Fig. 2 is a side View of the device with the lid closed and a number of letter-envelope held thereto by the clampingspring. Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal section through the packet.

A designates a plate of suitable material, preferably of leather, of such size as may be desired, suitable to the uses to which it is intended, and having made or formed therein at a proper place a depression 1 of such depth and size as to adapt it for containing and holding coin or other money to be used in payment of postage rates or for the purchase of stamps to be applied to the letters to be mailed. On the plate is secured a writing-tablet 2 of anysuitable material-such as celluloid,slate, or similar substance0n which may be indited brief statements of amounts inclosed and the uses to which to be put, or the indications of purpose of inclosures may be printed or impressed on the plate 2, as indicated in the drawings in Fig. 1. I have shown this tablet as being on the bottom of the moneydepression, but it is apparent that it may be placed on any other part of the plate and serve the purpose.

B designates the cover or lid, which lies down on the plate and covers the depression or case land holds the money securely therein. The lid Bis pivotally connected to plate A by means of a torsional spring-bar 3, let through suitable hinges 4 at, secured to the connected parts, and the spring-plate 5, the leaves of which are fastened to the surface of the plate A and lid B, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. l of the drawings, so that the lid will lie normally closed over the depression in the plate, but maybe conveniently opened by manipulation and so held by the hand.

It is intended that the device shall be provided with suitable means for holding the letters to be stamped and mailed. In the drawings I have shown for this purpose a clamping-spring 6, the arms of which are suitably fastened to the plate, and the cross-bar 7 of which lies across the face of the plate A and is adapted to bear down on any letters which may beplaced thereon and hold them clamped thereto. The cross-bar 7 may be divided, as at 8, so that the arms of the spring may be moved apart to take in envelops which may be wider than the plate A.

To use the device for the purposes intended, the lid is raised and the desired amount of money placed in the depression in the plate, the amount of money, the number of the letters to be mailed, and the character or value of the stamps to be purchased being indicated on the tablet. On releasing the lid it will close by the force of the spring. The mailmatter is then placed on the plate under the clamp and the whole deposited in a letterbox, from whence it is taken by the carrier to the post-office, the stamps purchased and affixed to the letters, the surplus stamps, if any, inclosed in the packet, which is returned to the sender or owner, whose address will be written or printed on the back of the plate A.

That I claim is- 1. An improved article of manufacture, comprising an oblong plate formed with a depression in one portion thereof to receive money or postagestamps, a lid hinged to the ro pression, a spring to hold the lid down, and

a spring-clamp secured to the plate to lie across the same and hold articles thereon.

In Witness whereof I have hereto set my hand in the presence of two attesting witnesses.

CHARLES A. THOMPSON.

. Attest:

A. G. HEYLMUN, CLARENCE GOBIN HEYLMUN. 

